The invention relates to a vibration damper having amplitude-dependent damping for motor vehicles.
Such a vibration damper is known, for example, from DE 103 51 353 A1. In this known vibration damper, a device for amplitude-dependent damping comprises a separating piston which is formed through an aluminium support ring in which, or on which, an elastomer element serving as a stop buffer is vulcanised in a firmly adhering manner. The elastomer element protrudes on both sides beyond the aluminium support ring in order to decelerate the separating piston in the region of the end positions of its stroke movement, and to reduce the impact accelerations. The elastomer element is subjected to severe stress by the continuous lifting and lowering of the separating piston which take place during operation of the shock absorber, so that it only has a limited service life. A further difficulty with respect to this known separating piston resides in the fact that the damping fluids/hydraulic oils used for motor vehicle shock absorbers greatly age the elastomer element, and thus additionally shorten its service life. The choice of material for the elastomer element, therefore clearly limits construction.
Therefore, it is the object of the invention to develop a vibration damper in such a manner that the stroke of the separating piston is decelerated in the end positions of the separating piston stroke and the separating piston stroke is quietly buffered without the components required for braking and buffering the separating piston being subjected to wear, and thus being encumbered with a limited service life.